Yeah, and he's still pissed just like the rest of us...but, an opportunity presented itself to gain more info, he took the opportunity to go straight to the man and ask his questions, and he got answers....maybe not all the answers he hoped to get, but perhaps answers that helped him understand the situation better...
And I realize in some circles he will be ridiculed for this...
But the same opportunity is coming my way in the next 10 days, and I am going to take advantage of it because I am pissed, too..
Yeah...I'm pissed...pissed in more ways than one and have done plenty of ranting about it.
This isn't my
first paycut at Con-Way! There many of us whose pay was cut in November when Con-Way closed our barns...who now have to drive exhorbitant miles and hours just to get to work. What was 5 miles and 15 minutes is now 76 miles and 1 1/2 hours one way. So I have 3 hours a committed just getting back and forth to work. That was paycut #1...then these came Black Friday where hundreds of people lost their job. On top of that the trucks were cut back to 62 mph...you can't even run the freakin' speed limit...but for God's sake don't be late to the FAC!!! And every driver here knows the aggravation of dealing with traffic when you can't run the speed limit...people cutting you off more than normal...catching up with other traffic you cannot pass...everybody's in a hurry and you are in the way!
Add the inclement weather and the situation gets even worse...you have no speed to get away from potentially hazardous situations...merging into heavy traffic is nightmare...then one of the most liberal SOBs on the planet sends Con-Way a letter saying what a great thing they done for the environment...
You and I are dealing with this crap on a daily basis...we are the ones who have to adjust...you could preach all day to the Kings of the Crystal Palace about the fallacy of it and you would get absolutely nowhere as they have no clue as to what you and I do as drivers! Your skills and expertise escapes them...not so much out of arrogance as ignorance. Put any one of these number crunchers behind the wheel of our 'highly' efficient fleet in an ice storm pulling a set of MTs and then see the absolute panic. Let them pull a set through a white out or over mountains in a snow storm. Lets try P&D in the fog...or pulling 35,000 in a major downpour during rush hour...
Yeah I am pissed!!!
I did some research by asking the 'old timers' about the promises associated with the pension plan...
Promises were made and now have been 'altered'. People who have spent a goodly portion of their careers at Con-Way are now experiencing life changing alterations to a pension plan they formulated into the futures. The "previous" alteration had a maturity date of 2016...now it is dead!!!...no more maturation! And according to Labrie it is irreversible by law. Just friggin' great!!! At least the 401 changes are reversible...but not the pension...
The pension change was a very bad idea...good for them...bad for us! It should have been left alone...fully funded...and delivered as promised!!! I have waivered and relented on many things recently but I not will relent on this!!! These were monies good folks counted on in their retirement years...to negate this was simply irresponsible (IMHO)...they should have left it the hell alone as a matter of moral and ethical responsibilty to those who have dedicated years of service to the company...
And I get more pissed as it goes along....
By their own admission the changes implemented with the vacations only affects you when you leave the company...the short version is this...no use of waiting to Jan to retire to receive your accumulated vacation from the previous year because it isn't going to be there. LaBrie said most companies do this...first I have heard of it! Then of course this brings up the argument are we like most companies???...the Kool-Aid mixers say no!!!...then why the hell are we doing what everybody else is doing....if Con-Way wants to be a pacesetting company then by all means do so...but don't hide behind the status quo when it is convenient. This is just more manipulation of those people the company knows is going to stay because of years of service and age. Once again...leave sh*t alone and stop with the emasculation of those with longer service times...
This entire scenario was poorly thought out!!! Con-Way plugged the numbers into their computers and performed a whole lot of 'what ifs"...they found the results they wanted to achieve and Viola!!!..it was born!
They are bordering on age descrimination! The company benefits were set on years of service...more years better benefits...now those with the most years of service are taking the biggest hits...the older you are the more you lose...in both the pension...401 and healthcare.
Where they made their mistake is the cuts were not made on a sliding scale as were the originally promised benefits...but were made across the board. Any lawyer would have no trouble in proving the cuts affected the most senior people as opposed to those with less time (and younger!!!)
All this is based on 'maybes' what may or may not happen in the future...Con-Way does not want to be in the postion of having to borrow money to operate...Ok I'll give 'em that...want to cut my wages to help the company survive...Yep!!!..go ahead. You say you gotta suspend your matching contribs to the 401...do what you gotta do...but the rest is BS!!!
Let the economy rebound and all these people are going to hear is crickets...
As far as me leaving the company...if I could find something local that met my needs then adios!!! ...but for the present this is all I have! I will support it and do the best job I can...but thats just me.
My admiration for Con-Way has faded...too many @ssholes with white shirts...I had a shop supervisor refuse to fix four way flashers because it left the originating SIC in that condition...I (right or wrong and told by my supervisor ) took the chance and limped it to the first available FAC with a shop...the shop supervisor told me not to be bringing these issues to them but to our servicing FAC...hundreds of miles in the in the wrong direction!!! So now I am driving through the lot in a very large FAC with no 4 way flashers!!! I got away with it but never again!!! We were short on trucks because all the other available junk was broke down!
As far as my slant on John Labrie...the man is genuine and honest. When you talk to him he looks you in the eye...there is none of the "I am the prez" crap we had with the previous rocket scientist...I admire the man...I disagree with him but I admire his dedication to what he believes in...
Ask him a question and you will get a straight forward answer...no Kool-Aid!!!...which is not quite the norm for a corporate exec...he a is a little too 'real' for the position...
Rat :loser:
